One or more trial components may be used by a surgeon or other medical practitioner during orthopedic surgery. A trial component generally refers to a temporary component that a surgeon locates in a patient to determine an acceptable geometry for a permanent implant component, e.g., with a trial component having features (e.g., size and shape) that substantially match those of a corresponding permanent implant. For example, a surgeon may position at least one trial component in a patient to check the compatibility of a particular geometry with the patient's anatomy or with respect to another system component.
For a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery, also known as total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, a trial tibial component can include a trial base plate and a stem that extends from the base plate for insertion into the medullary canal of the tibia. A trial system can also include any number of other components such as one or more augment trials or provisionals. The trial stem and base plate simulate a stem and base plate that eventually will be permanently implanted in the patient. Other trial components, such as a trial femoral stem and a trial condyl portion of a trial femoral component, can also be used in TKA surgery. In addition to knee surgeries, many other types of orthopedic surgeries can utilize one or more trial components to determine an acceptable geometry for an eventual permanent implant.
When implanting an orthopedic device in bone, such as in the proximal region of a tibia, it may be necessary to clear pre-existing matter in a specific or predetermined size. This may be accomplished, for example, by using a broach, drill or reamer. Illustratively, during the TKA surgery described above, when a guide within the tibial medullary canal is introduced, the proximal tibia may be broached over the guide to provide an opening of a desired size for a trial augment or provisional.